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Philip Perry – There’s a loneliness epidemic in the US and it’s getting worse

Summary:
In the richest counties in the world there's a lot of loneliness as we become less group orientated and more individualistic.In primitive societies the group was very social, for instance, I always wondered how very young women coped with being teenage mothers when there was no age of consent so most of them may have been still children. But young inexperienced mothers would never be left alone all day with nagging children as the grandmothers and great grandmothers - who would have considerable child rearing experience - would always be around to help. Also, a small group of women would look after the infants during the day while the other mothers worked in the fields. Of course, most of the men all went hunting together.The stress was different too, there was no unemployment and if your

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In the richest counties in the world there's a lot of loneliness as we become less group orientated and more individualistic.

In primitive societies the group was very social, for instance, I always wondered how very young women coped with being teenage mothers when there was no age of consent so most of them may have been still children. But young inexperienced mothers would never be left alone all day with nagging children as the grandmothers and great grandmothers - who would have considerable child rearing experience - would always be around to help. Also, a small group of women would look after the infants during the day while the other mothers worked in the fields. Of course, most of the men all went hunting together.

The stress was different too, there was no unemployment and if your house burnt down everyone in your village would help you build a new on.  But we know it was no paradise either. KV

Philip Perry

I’m going through a divorce. It’s amicable, mature, and adult. We just don’t work together as a couple anymore, but we’ll try and remain friends. As a writer, I work from home. I’m alone all day and now, no one is coming home at night. As a result, I’m taking great pains to be social, to go out, to see friends and family, to make phone calls, and to avoid social isolation. There’s no shame in admitting as much, although our rugged individualist society may look down on opening up about such things, especially as a straight male. Aren’t we supposed to be stoic mavericks, able to set out on our own, without anyone’s help at all? Turns out, not so much.

In fact, staying connected is the healthiest thing to do, and not just psychologically. According to a 2014 University of Chicago study, loneliness can have a significant negative impact on physical health. It can increase the rate of atherosclerosis—the hardening of the arteries, increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, and decrease retention, which can even hurt learning and memory. What’s more, the lonely often make worse life choices and are more prone to substance abuse.
Global health services company Cigna recently teamed up with market research firm Ipsos, to investigate loneliness in America. They conducted a nationwide survey, which found that 47% of Americans lacked meaningful interpersonal interactions with a friend or family member on a daily basis. 43% reported having weak relationships, experiencing feelings of isolation, and an overall lack of companionship. 46% said they felt lonely often, while 47% reported feeling left out.
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Mike Norman
Mike Norman is an economist and veteran trader whose career has spanned over 30 years on Wall Street. He is a former member and trader on the CME, NYMEX, COMEX and NYFE and he managed money for one of the largest hedge funds and ran a prop trading desk for Credit Suisse.

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